What Is a Good Brand of Shoes to Buy??

i'm an RN and wear Dansko, they cost 100 or so but are worth it to me and last a long time. i've gotten shoes from their website outlet for 30% off and were quite happy with them.

I love Birkenstocks. they are not cheap but you can find good deals on ebay. They have great arch support and have really made a difference for my feet, back and knees. They make lots of styles of shoes as well as sandals.

The best pair of shoes I own are Dansko. I worked retail for over 13 years and swear by them! They are a little pricey (about $100) but are well worth it to not have back pain and foot pain. They are very rarely on sale, but I would never go back to anything else if I'm going to be on my feet all day!

Good luck!
A.

While it isn't as easy as the perfect new pair of shoes - you will likely need to do some stretches and exercising. It is likely that your hamstrings are tightening up and pulling down on your back. Try to give yourself 5 minutes in the morning and evening. Stretches:
1) roll forward as if you are going to touch your toes. Dangle there for a count of 10, then roll back up. Try to do it a number of times.
2) Lie on your back, bring your knees to your chest. Hold them there for a count of 10. Repeat a few times.
3) Sit on the floor, legs straight out, flex your feet so your toes are pointing to the ceiling. Hold for a count of 10. Deep breathe. Raise your arms above your head, twist to the right while lowering your arms down, look over your right shoulder & place your right hand behind you. Raise your arms and twist to your left.
4) 10 situps,(small crunches only). rest, then 10 more situps. This reminds your stomach muscles to support your back muscles.

These are all very small and basic. You can of course increase your numbers and the types of exercises. But these few things will give your back a lot of relief. It can be hard and expensive to find the perfect shoe for your foot. And that will certainly help. But it won't necessarily solve the problem.

I agree with another poster, never ever skimp on shoes. It took me 36 years to figure this out. I am a Pieces and feet rule my world. After being a dog groomer for 5 years and trying every shoe out there, I landed on Earth shoes. They have a negative heal so it forces your back to straighten up. They are about $100 (more or less) a pair but now over the last 2 years have I aquired about 5 pairs and write each and every one off for work on my taxes. They have everything from tennis shoes to business and casual. I also had several foot issues like heel pain and foot cramping which is completly gone now. They take some getting used to but I wont go back to any other shoe for work. The best deals I have found have been on planetshoes.com. Good luck.

Merrill clogs, most comfortable for my achey feet. RN on my feet for 8+ hours, then home and up for more! I agree with Brenda on these shoes.

T. (mother of 2 beautiful daughters, 1 18 and 1 21) and I'm 49 years young.

New Balance you can find great deals at places like Kohl's and Sear's the best shoes I've ever found for comfort. I have a really high arch and they work great.

Hi Gina, although you might not think it's 'bad enough' to see a doctor about this, you might want to think about it. I had lower back pain off and on for years and ignored it, and then one day I lifted something the wrong way and I ended up flat on my back for 2 months, had to quit my job, and had over a year of OT in order to get me to a healthy place again. I was very lucky we didn't need my income to survive... if I had taken care of the pain in the first place, it wouldn't have happened.

Even if they give you a clear bill of health, a specialist can tell you the best shoes for you to be wearing. I try to get ones with good arch support.

NEVER skimp on shoes...that's one thing I've learned in life..especially if you're on your feet all day!

Try thewalkingcompany.com. I bought the best pair of shoes that I walked all over Paris in (we averaged 5-8 miles/day just sightseeing) and my feet never hurt!

Dansko are known to be super comfy..I think alot of nurses wear Dansko. People also love Sofft, Born, Keen, Mephisto, Ecco, Rockport, Clarks, Joseph Seibel, Cole Haan, Donald Pliner and Naturalizer. Can you just wear a good pair of tennis shoes like Nike, New Balance, etc?

Also, when you're working on your feet, NEVER wear the same shoes twice in a row....you should always alternate pairs...or wear one pair in the morning, then a different pair after your lunch break...this was the secret I learned from women who made retail their life.

Good luck!

try naturlizers...I have found them to be a very comfortable shoe and long lasting....they have an outlet in albertville and if you are not too picky you can usually find something on sale. my husband also likes rockport...they also have an outlett store in albertville.

I havent tried, but maybe you could use some dr sholls inserts...the gels??

Hello,
I have tried Dansko's, they are nice but a hard insole. I then got a pair of Privo's (made by Clarks) they are awesome!!! I love them. They have a very bumpy insole so its like a little massage when I walk in them. I am on my feet 10 hour shifts and these don't bother me. They run between $80 and $100. But well worth it!
Good luck!

I managed a deli in a convenience store for a few years and I found Skechers were the best for my back and feet. I was on my feet from 5 AM to 2:30 - 3PM every day but Saturday and Sunday and sometimes them. The Skechers kept my back and legs from aching so much.

Gina,

Look for a clog - one with a closed heel or at least a heel strap. With clogs your heel is ever so slightly elevated which evenly distributes a women's weight across her entire foot and thus takes pressure off her back. DANSKO is a brand found in many department stores.

I am a chef by training and spend hours every day on my feet. My doctor highy approves of my footware.

T.

Gina,
If you haven't tried them yet, and it will work within your job, I am SHOCKED at how well crocks feel. (Did you notice all the nurses wear them now??) You can get black to make them less tacky. My husband and I wore ours to Disney and never had even slightly sore feet and that is walking all day on blacktop.... Of course, if you have to wear dress shoes, that won't work. Good luck!

New Balance cross trainer shoes have worked well for me.

Karla~mom to 2 boys 12 & 11. Married to my high school sweetheart for 14 yrs.

Hi Gina
It's B. Jarmoluk
Is this Gina Haben??

Being a medical professional= we're on our feet all day.
Good brands, Born, Merrill, depending on what style of shoe you can wear: medical types like anywheres....., naturalizer, tennis shoes- good ones for walking, clarks.

You can get a lot of these on line cheaper or get them at outlet malls.

What style do you need- you want good support. I love the merrill clogs but that works for me with shoe covers.

Hope that helps. It's better to spend more and have a few good pairs- your back is worth it.

B. J
47 yo med. prof, wellness coach and mom of almost 7 yo twin girls

The Dansko Professional clog comes in all colors, and is well worth the expense. I have three pairs! My black pair is 5 years old and I wore them almost daily 9 months of the year until this past year, when I added a brown pair (I have a blue pair I don't wear as often).

These are the greatest shoes -- chefs, nurses, doctors, teachers, and lots of others who are on their feet all day wear them.

Peterson Shoes in downtown Anoka can hook you up with good for your feet/legs and back shoes. they will fit shoes according to your feet. though, not really inexpensive, they are definitely worth the cost.
check 'em out.

I think skechers are the best at least for my feet. They are not too expensive if you buy them at famous footwear during their sales. right now they have a sale buy one and get one half off that is usually when I buy mine and it lasts me about a year.
Hope that helps

I started with the insoles for back pain that have been advertised recently--Dr. Scholl's, I think? I bought mine at Target. These made a significant improvement. The heels and arch are very comfortable and the fronts are very flat so you don't feel like you're wearing insoles at all. At least I didn't. I'm a nurse working 12 hr shifts so these were a great interim solution. May have to invest in different shoes later but am much better now thanks to these insoles. Good luck!

Hi Gina, I am on my feet from 8-16 hrs a pm/night. I work in a hospice residence. I wear skeetchers tennis shoes they are the most comfortable shoes I ever found. I dont think they are too expensive about $45.00 but well worth the investment and they last along time. Hope I could be of some help, L.

It's time to schedule yourself for a good massage or shiatsu session Gina. Once muscles are tight they need to be released. Good shoes are a great idea, but regular bodywork will help to reduce or eliminate your pain quickly and every session you get will accumulate to create a stronger body for your lifetime.

I highly recommend Dansko if you're on your feet and your back aches. They're not cheap, but darn comfortable!

I have various brands (some better then others) but what I have fallen in love with is Doctor Scholls insterts for Her. They have helped my back/foot pain that I have had for over 8 years. That is my only input.... hope you find something that works for you!